Adrian didn't speak for nearly a minute.

Claire had never seen him lose control before.

Not truly.

This was different.

"His name was Julian," he finally said.

"Was?"

"He disappeared twelve years ago."

"Did you think he was dead?"

"I was told he was."

"By who?"

Adrian looked toward Thomas.

"My father."

Thomas sat in the back of Vincent's SUV, his shoulder bandaged.

"Dominic lied."

Adrian's expression hardened.

"You knew?"

"Not until later."

"How much later?"

Thomas looked away.

"Five years."

Adrian laughed once.

It was the coldest sound Claire had heard from him.

"So everyone knew except me."

Claire understood that pain.

She sat beside him.

She didn't touch him.

Not yet.

"Why would Julian work with Margaret?"

Thomas answered.

"Because Julian believes Adrian stole his life."

Adrian looked at him.

"I was seventeen when he disappeared."

"That doesn't matter to him."

"What happened?"

Thomas sighed.

"Julian discovered the trafficking operation before Dominic did."

Adrian went still.

"He tried exposing it."

"Yes."

"And my father?"

"Stopped him."

Claire looked at Adrian.

"Why?"

Thomas answered.

"Because exposing the network would have destroyed the Vale empire."

Adrian looked out the window.

All his life, he'd apparently believed his father had principles.

Now even that was collapsing.

Claire remembered her rule.

Someone who stays when things get bad.

She reached across the seat.

She took Adrian's hand.

He looked down.

Then at her.

"Don't misunderstand this."

"I wouldn't dare."

"I'm not comforting a mafia boss."

"Obviously."

"I'm comforting the annoying man who stole my dating rules."

"I didn't steal them."

"You literally wrote them down."

"For research."

Claire almost smiled.

His fingers closed gently around hers.

Not trapping.

Holding.

"Claire."

"What?"

"When this is finished, you should stay away from me."

Her smile disappeared.

"Excuse me?"

"This proves your original assessment was correct."

"Which one?"

"I'm dangerous."

"Yes."

"Controlling."

"Frequently."

"Surrounded by criminals."

"Definitely."

"And apparently my supposedly dead brother is helping your aunt run a trafficking organization."

"That's admittedly a strong negative."

He looked at her.

"I'm serious."

"So am I."

She pulled her hand away.

"You don't get to make that decision for me."

Adrian blinked.

Claire leaned closer.

"You spent all day learning my rules and somehow missed the biggest one."

"Which?"

"I decide my life."

He stared.

Then slowly nodded.

"You're right."

Claire sat back.

"Good."

A pause.

"You're still terrible for me."

"Probably."

"Don't sound pleased."

"I'm not."

He was.

They returned to Charleston.

Vincent arranged a secure house.

Thomas explained the ledger.

Dominic Vale had documented names, shipments, payments, politicians, corrupt officers, and companies involved in the trafficking network.

Before his death, he'd planned to give it to federal investigators.

Margaret had killed him first.

Thomas recovered the ledger and hid it.

"Why Claire's apartment?" Adrian asked.

"Because Margaret watched me. She never watched Claire closely until recently."

"What changed?"

Thomas looked at Claire.

"You came here."

"To a resort?"

"To South Carolina."

Claire understood.

Margaret had known Claire's location.

Then Adrian had appeared.

Two old bloodlines meeting again.

The photograph's warning returned.

IF THEY MEET, EVERYTHING COMES BACK.

Adrian paced.

"Julian wants the ledger."

"Yes."

"And Margaret wants Claire."

Thomas nodded.

"Why?"

"Leverage."

Adrian stopped.

"Against me?"

"Against both of us."

Claire crossed her arms.

"Everyone needs to stop treating me like leverage."

Thomas almost smiled.

"Definitely my daughter."

Claire glared.

"You've been my father again for six hours. Don't get comfortable."

His smile vanished.

"Fair."

That night, Claire couldn't sleep.

She walked downstairs.

Adrian sat alone at the kitchen table.

His phone was beside him.

The Notes app was open.

Claire approached.

"Still working on your research?"

He looked up.

"Something like that."

She sat opposite him.

"How badly are you doing?"

"Terribly."

"Let me see."

"No."

"Why?"

"Privacy."

She laughed.

"Now you believe in boundaries?"

"I'm evolving."

Claire reached for the phone.

Adrian moved it.

She raised an eyebrow.

He sighed and handed it over.

The list was simple.

Don't control her.

Don't decide for her.

Don't lie when truth matters.

Stay.

Protect without imprisoning.

Listen when she says no.

Don't become your father.

Claire stopped.

Number eight remained blank.

She looked at him.

"What goes there?"

"I don't know yet."

Claire put the phone down.

"Maybe stop treating relationships like tactical operations."

"That would require skills I don't have."

"You could learn."

His eyes met hers.

"From who?"

Claire's heartbeat accelerated.

She stood.

"Goodnight, Adrian."

"Goodnight, Claire."

She reached the stairs.

His phone rang.

Adrian answered.

"Vale."

Silence.

His expression changed.

Claire stopped.

A man's voice came through the speaker.

"Hello, little brother."

Adrian stood.

"Julian."

"You want the ledger?"

"Where are you?"

"Wrong question."

Adrian's eyes shifted toward Claire.

Julian laughed.

"The correct question is why Claire's mother just opened the front door."

Claire turned.

Her mother was walking toward the entrance.

"Mom?"

The doorbell rang.

Claire ran.

Adrian shouted her name.

Her mother reached the handle first.

She opened the door.

A man stood outside holding a white envelope.

Claire recognized him from the camera.

Julian Vale smiled.

"Finally."

And then he looked directly at Claire.

"You look exactly like the woman my brother was supposed to kill."